Fire extinguisher



May 28, 1929. .R. w. AUSTIN FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed Sept. 17, 1923 Patented May 28, 1929.

UNITED STATES V RALPH.W. AUSTIN, 0F QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS.

' FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

' Application filed September 17, 1923. Serial no. 683,654.

This invention relates to a fire extinguisher, and hasfor an object to provide a novel and improved construction of fire extinguisher, which is eificient and reliable in operation, may be economically manufactured, and is easily recharged, cleaned and maintained in an operative condition.

The different features of the invention will be hereinafter described and particularly pointed outin the claims at the end of the specification. I r

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a fire extinguisher .embodyingthe features of the present invention and Fig. Qisa section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. 7

Referring to the drawing, the fire extinguisher illustrated therein comprises a metal casing 10 preferably of usual construction having an opening 12 therein and a neck 13 threaded and upon which the usual extin guisher cap 1a is screwed. 'The casing 10 is normally filled with an extinguishing liquid to approximately the level indicated in the drawing. The extinguishing liquid is discharged during the operation of the extinguisher through a discharge nozzle 15 of usual construction byrthe gas pressure developed preferably by the reaction of an acid with a carbonate solution, when the extinguisher is turned into an operative position, or inverted. 1 The carbonate solution and acid may and preferably will be contained in separate receptacles 16, 18, arranged one within the other, and the carbonate receptacle 16 comprises preferably a metal tube closedat one end 17 and of such diameter as to be capable of insertion into the opening 12 in the extinguisher casing. The metal tube 16 is preferably soldered or otherwise se-, cured to a neck ring 20 to be-supported thereby and the latter is provided with an annular flange 22 which rests upon the neck 12 of the extinguisher casing and is removably clamped in such positionby the extinguisher cap 14 as illustrated. The acid container 18 is normally closed by av stopper 28, and s supported within the metal tube 16 upon supporting members 30 soldered or otherwise secured to the interior of the metal tube, as will be described. The metal tube 16 and acid bottle 18 arefilled with the suitable quanti ties of carbonate solution and acid respectively, and when the extinguisher is'inverted, the-acid and carbonate fiow and mix together, enerating carbon dioxide gas and high pressure. The upper end of the receptacle 16 is provided with an annular ring portion into which thecap 34 is screwed and which 00- operates with. the cap to form a closure for the upper end of the container 16. A space 38 1s provided between the top of the cap 3 1 and thefextinguisher cap. 14, and provisionvis' made for connecting this space 38 with the interior of the carbonate container 16 and also with the interior of the extinguisher casing 10 outside of the carbonate container 16 in order to permit the gas pressure generated by the mixture .of the carbonate and acid solutions within the inverted upper end of the container 16 to pass to above the extinguishing liquid inthe casing 10. As herein shown, one or more conduits36 comprising preferably relatively small straight tubes are fixed at their upper ends in the annular ring por tion into which the cap 34 is screwed, and the lower ends of the conduits 36are arranged to terminate at a point within the carbonate I container 16 above the normal; level of the carbonatesolution therein, sothat when the extinguisher is inverted there exists very little chance of any appreciable amount of carbonate solution running down the inverted tubes 36 into the space comprising the chamber 38. I The space 38 is herein shown connected with the interior; of the casing lO outside of the carbonate container 16 by one or more conduits 44- also preferably fixed at their upper ends in the ring portion into which the cap- 34 is screwed, and the lower ends of which extend completely through the bottom 17 of the carbonate container 16. A, fluidtight closure or joint is formed between the conduits 44: and the bottom 17 of the container 16. V

WVith this arrangement of the conduits 36, 44, the liability of the formation of calcium carbonate resulting from the reaction of any calcium chloride which may be used'in the extinguishing liquid to lower the freezing point thereof, with any carbonate solution which may find its way into the chamber 38, ispractically entirely avoided. In the normal upright position of the extinguisher, it will. be observed that the ends of th'e t-ubes 36 terminate above the normal level of the carbonate solution, so that when the extinguisher is inverted only a small chance isafforded for appreciable quantity of carbonate solution entering the tubes 36. Were the tubes 36 to extend down into the carbonate solution, then a slug of carbonate solution would find its way; into the chamber 38 when the extinguisher was inverted, and upon reaction with some of the calcium chloride so lution entering through the conduit 44 upon inversion of the extinguisher, would result in ends thereof, which fit and are soldered or otherwise secured to the metal tubes or conduits 36 and 44. The spider '52, it will be observed, enables the carbonate solution to readilyflow downwardly through the open ings formed between its arms and around the sidesof the acid bottle when the extenguisher is inverted. Provision is made for maintaming the acld bottle 1n a central position within the metal tube 16 and for this purpose a supporting ring 40 is provided, which is soldered to the metal tubes 36, 44. The acid bottle 18 is preferably supported when the extinguisher is inverted by a supporting ring 54 arranged to engage the neck portion of the bottle. The supporting ring 54 is illustrated as secured upon'the ends of a plurality of rods 56 carried by and depending from a cap 34, screwed into the annular ring portion to completely close the upper end of the metal tube 16. The cap 34 is provided with a cylindrical portion 58 which cooperateswith a projection or boss 60 upstanding from the top of the stopper 28 to guide the latter in its movements. The stopper is preferably providedwith a boss or projection 62 depending from the under side thereof of suflicient length to extend into the mouth of the bottle in all positions ofthe extinguisher to insure seating of the stopper upon the bottle when the extinguisher is brought into an upright position after having been inverted. i In operation, when the extinguisher is inverted the carbonate. solution within the metal tube 16 flows downwardly around the acid bottle 18 and mixes with the'acid'emerg ing from the mouth of the inverted bottle, in the inverted'closedupper end of the carbonate container 16. The carbonate'and acid react to form carbon dioxide gas and; the gascpressure developed passes through the conduits 86 through the space 38 and thence upwardly through the conduits 44 to above the extinguishing liquid within the casing 10.

In the event that calcium chloride or other salt having the desired effect be dissolved in the extinguishing fluid to lower the freezquantity of calcium carbonate formed by the carbon dioxide gas'passing through the relatively small head of extinguishing liquid upon leaving the conduit or conduits 44 is insufiicient to have any appreciable effect upon the operation of the extinguisher. It

will also be apparent that the construction of the carbonate receptacle 16 is such that it may be made economically, and easily and conveniently cleaned. The conduits or tubes a 36, 44, it will be observed, are straight so that an operator may insert a brush or other in-- strument directly into the same to force any obstructing material therefrom. In this manner the extinguisher may be maintained in a highly elficient condition and easily and economically recharged. In order to miniinize corrosion, in practice the interior of the extinguisher casing and the carbonate receptacle including the tubes 36, 44 will be plated with nickel or other suitable noncorrodible material. i a

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that the same may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims: V i

1. In a fire extinguisher, in combination, a casing for containing an extinguishing liquid having an opening therein, a neck surrounding said opening, a cap for closing the openin and means for generating gas pressure within the casing including a closed container adapted to contain a carbonate solution, said container being supported upon said neck between it and the cap, and arranged to provide a chamber between the top of the container and said cap, an acid receptacle supported within said container, and two sets of relatively small straight tubessecured to said carbonate container, one set of tubes connecting said chamber with the interior of the carbonate container and terminating above the normal level of the carbonate liquid therein, and the second set of tubes connecting said chamber withthe interior of the extinguisher casing outside of said carbonate container for transmitting the gas pressure generated upon inversion of the extinguisher to above the extinguishing liquid. I

2. In a fire extinguisher of the type employing acid and carbonate solutions for 1 generating gas pressure, in combination, a casing for contaming the extinguishing liquid provided with an opening and a removable cap therefor, a closed carbonate contamer positioned within the cas ng to form a chamber between it and the extinguisher cap, an acid container within the carbonate container, a substantially straight tube connecting said chamber with the interior of the carbonate container, one end of said tube terminating above the normal level of the carbonate liquid, and a second substantially straight tube leading from said chamber for conducting'generated gas to above the extinguishing liquid in the casing, when the extinguisher is in inverted position.

3. In a fire extinguisher of the type employing acid and carbonate solutions for generating gas pressure, in combination, a casing for containing the extinguishing liquid provided with an opening and a removable cap therefor, a closed carbonate container positioned within the casing to form a chamber between it and the extinguisher cap, an acid container within the carbonate container, and a conduit connecting said chamber with the interior of the carbonate container and terminating above the normal level of the carbonate liquid, and a second conduit leading from said chamber for conducting generated gas to above the extinguishing liquid in the casing when the extinguisher is in inverted position.

4. In a fire extinguisher of the type employing acid and carbonate solutions for carbonate container, said carbonate container being secured in the casing to form a chamber between the top of the carbonate container and the cap, an annular ring member forming a part-of the closure for the upper end of the carbonate container, and a cap in threaded engagement with the ring member V formingthe remainder of the closure for the upper end of the carbonate container, and two conduits both fixed at their upper ends in said ring member, one extending within the carbonate container and terminating at a point located above the normal level of the carbonate solution therein, the other conduit extending through saidcontainer for conducting generated gas to above the extinguishing liquid within the extinguisher casing when the extinguisher is in inverted position.

RALPH w. AUSTIN.

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